Two Frederick County teachers accused of child sex abuse

Two local teachers face criminal charges amid allegations of inappropriate behavior involving female students at their schools, the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office said Friday.

A Catoctin High School teacher is accused of inappropriately touching a 17-year-old female student, authorities said. A Ballenger Creek Middle School teacher faces allegations he videotaped 13- and 14-year-old girls as they changed clothes.

A grand jury on Friday indicted the men, both Hagerstown residents, said Assistant State's Attorney Lindell K. Angel. Warrants will be issued for their arrests.

If convicted of the most serious offenses with which they are charged, Robert Rich, 47, and Adam Windsor, 25, could each face 25 years in the Maryland Division of Correction.

Rich, a science teacher at Catoctin High, has been employed by Frederick County Public Schools since January 2004, said Marita Loose, the school system's communications director.

Rich was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student. He was indicted on six misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree sex offense and one felony count of child sex abuse on school property, Angel said.

An investigation by Detective Michael Davies of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office began after the teen victim confided her allegations to a family friend, who told the girl's parents.

Windsor, the theater arts and band teacher at Ballenger Creek Middle for three years, became the focus of an investigation by sheriff's Detective Willie Ollie as an offshoot of an investigation by the Baltimore office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Angel said.

Executing a search and seizure warrant of Windsor's residence as part of a child pornography investigation, ICE agents found video footage on his computer taken at Ballenger Creek Middle, Angel said.

Windsor is accused of using a cell phone to videotape girls changing in a room set up for costume changes, Angel said.

The ICE agent assigned to the pornography case was not available Friday.

The grand jury indicted Windsor on two counts of child sex abuse, exploitation and two counts of visual surveillance with prurient intent, authorities said.

Both teachers were placed on administrative leave when school officials became aware of the police investigations, Loose said.

Rich has been on administrative leave since May 6; Windsor has been on leave since April 24.

"School administrators were directed by law enforcement not to share information about these matters with staff or the school community while the investigations were ongoing," Loose said.

Neither Rich nor Windsor could be reached for comment Friday.

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